<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>It’s All About Sokka’s Hair by paintedbluerose</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27493090">It’s All About Sokka’s Hair</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedbluerose/pseuds/paintedbluerose'>paintedbluerose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Gen, I blame hella for this, Implied Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Sokka’s hair, Zuko Joins The Gaang Early (Avatar), not too serious though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:42:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27493090</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedbluerose/pseuds/paintedbluerose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If Sokka wore his hair down, things would be different. Zuko would have joined right away. Sokka could have won the war with his hair down. Sokka could have done a lot with his hair down.</p><p>(Crack fic somewhat serious with Sokka’s hair. And Zuko.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang &amp; Toph Beifong &amp; Katara &amp; Sokka &amp; Suki &amp; Zuko, Sokka &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong &amp; Zuko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>380</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It’s All About Sokka’s Hair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/hella1975/gifts">hella1975</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I blame hella1975 for this. It was one conversation we had about Sokka’s hair down and how he could defeat Ozai and Sokka would have a heart attack. That was weeks or couple months ago. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wrote this. It’s not the best. But it is what it is.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko was furious. His Uncle had been shot by his sister and the Avatar and his group were still there. The waterbender was offering help which he did not want because he didn’t need any help, he was a Prince, thank you very much. But then he turned around and saw them. The warrior had his hair down. His hair was down! </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko was speechless. He couldn’t answer when the waterbender asked again to help his Uncle. He almost didn’t hear her. It wasn’t until the warrior asked if Zuko wanted Katara to heal his Uncle did he realize he should say something.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh...sure...That... that would be nice. Thank you.” Zuko was still staring at the warrior (with his hair down!) when he answered. He almost had forgotten about his Uncle. Almost.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you okay?” The warrior asked. What was his name?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh...yes...?” Zuko replied. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You’re just staring at us. Is something wrong? I mean, besides your Uncle being hurt.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I forgot your names.” Zuko blurted out before he could stop himself. Did he care about their names? Not a chance. But if it meant the warrior talked more and didn’t touch his hair, Zuko would continue to word vomit.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh... My sister Katara is the one healing your Uncle. Aang is the Avatar. Toph is new, she’s Aang’s earthbending teacher. And I’m Sokka.” Sokka pointed at each person as he spoke. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko could not stop staring at Sokka (and his hair) while he talked. Zuko would do anything Sokka said as long as he kept his hair down. Why had Zuko never seen Sokka with hair down before? Did Sokka not realize the power he possessed?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That should be good. I’ve done all I can for your Uncle.” Katara said as she stood up. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Then I guess we should go.” Sokka shrugged.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We should join your group!” Zuko spat out. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh... what now?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko could ask himself the same question. He was against the Avatar and now he wanted to join them? With no conversation with his Uncle on the matter? Would Uncle be okay with it? Actually, it didn’t matter. Sokka had his hair down still. “I just think it would be good if I joined your group. My Uncle and I are declared traitors in the Fire Nation.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And let me guess, you’ll volunteer to teach Aang firebending too?” Sokka asked, voice laced with sarcasm.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes.” Sokka might have been sarcastic or joking but Zuko was serious. Whatever Sokka asked, Zuko would do. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nephew? Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko did not look at his Uncle. He kept his eyes focused on Sokka, as if one look away and the hair would be gone. “I’m sure. I’m very sure.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He’s not lying.” Toph laughed. “He’s very sincere in his desire to join us.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can tell when someone is lying?” Zuko asked-still staring at Sokka. (Would anyone say something about his constant staring?)</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yep. Through my earthbending. I can feel heartbeats.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko looked at Toph then. She was smiling at him. She could feel his heartbeat. His was probably beating like crazy. It wasn’t his fault! It was the hair! The gorgeous hair that lined his face so perfectly. The hair that made Zuko lose all inhibition and made him want to kiss Sokka. Wait...what? Where did that come from? Oh his heart was going crazy again. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s, uh, that’s neat.” Zuko finally said. He tuned the rest of the conversation out. He followed when they left but spent most of his time watching Sokka-and trying not to stare at him. It wasn’t until after they rested that Sokka pulled his hair back. Zuko had not slept the entire time. His body would not let him sleep with Sokka right there with his hair down. Did Sokka know what he was doing? Probably. He was smart like that. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">~~~~</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After that first night, Sokka only had his hair down at night on occasion. Not every night either. Zuko was glad as he got some sleep. But then he wasn’t happy because he didn’t get to see the hair down. That was the main reason for coming. Not that he would tell anyone that. Staying with the group, he learned more and was glad he was with them, but if he didn’t see Sokka with hair down, it would have been a long time before he joined them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In the desert, Sokka decided to go shirtless which caused another problem for Zuko. When his hair tie came undone (thanks Toph, really) his hair was flying in the wind and he was shirtless. Zuko was about to have a heart attack. Toph, who was holding onto Zuko the entire time, laughed hysterically at Zuko. Zuko could feel the blush all over his, all down his body. When asked, he lied and said it was the heat. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Heat from watching Sokka.” Toph mumbled low enough for only Zuko to hear. That comment made him blush harder and her laugh even more. Stupid heartbeat.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once they found the stupid library and Sokka put clothes back on, Zuko elected to stay behind with Toph. Toph said it would be good to have someone who could see with her too, in case of trouble. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So... what’s with the heartbeat Sparky?” Toph asked after everyone left. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s Sokka.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can tell. What does he do that makes you crazy?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“He has his hair down. Not often. But when it is, he’s like a whole new person.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Must be a seeing thing. Though you’re the only one who goes crazy.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can’t help it! He’s gorgeous!” Zuko sighed. “It’s like this, you learned bending from badgermoles, right? But also had someone teach you normal earthbending for your parents sake, right?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Correct on both.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, so seeing Sokka with hair up is like normal bending. Nice, no problem. Seeing Sokka with hair down is like learning from badgermoles. A whole new world is opened up for you and it’s amazing!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wow. That good huh?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes. I don’t know why anyone else doesn’t see it but it’s amazing. He could probably defeat my father just by wearing his hair down.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We should keep that in mind.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“If we ever see my father face to face to fight him, I’ll make sure to tell Sokka to take down his hair.” Zuko rolled his eyes though Toph couldn’t see it. He didn’t doubt the plan, he doubted the possibility of all of them seeing his father.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">~~~~</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The next time Sokka had his hair down, was after the fall of Ba Sing Se. Zuko wondered if Sokka had his hair down for Azula, would she still have won? Knowing how crazy she was, it was probably best to keep her to only benders fighting her. (Not that Sokka was a bad fighter. He wasn’t.)</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">On the Fire Nation ship, everyone had to wear disguises. Which led the Water Tribe in Fire Nation red and an issue of their hair. How they had to wear their hair to be specific. Sure, they saw how others wore their hair from fighting but getting it styled correctly? A problem. More like Zuko’s problem as he was surrounded by thirty men with hair down that needed help. Men that reminded him of Sokka, an older version of Sokka, a buffer, older version of Sokka. With hair down. Gorgeous hair, perfectly rounding their faces. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Was this going to be what Sokka looked liked later in life? If so, Zuko was going to love it. (And hate it.) </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Still, the problem was all these buff men asked for help and Zuko could not find any words. He was speechless, he could feel his heart stopping, and could hear Toph’s laughter from several rooms away. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko realized if he opened his mouth to speak, he had no idea what was going to come out of it. He could say something useful. He could ask them to take him then and there. He didn’t know! So much hair!</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He decided the best course of action was to just turn around and walk away. Run to his room and lock the door. Except he couldn’t lock the door. Except there was another bed in his room because they had to share. Except the other person was Sokka. Who was in their room already. With his hair down. And not dressed yet.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko figured the universe or spirits or whoever hated him. He couldn’t this much Water Tribe! (He probably could if he said something.) (Zuko could handle a lot.) </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Zuko! I need help! I can’t figure anything out!” Sokka said, pulling on Zuko.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko nodded because the only words coming to mind were “hot”, “hair”, “gorgeous”, and “yummy”. None of which he was going to repeat out loud.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can’t get these clothes right. How do you people wear these? It’s too many items and it’s too hot!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko shrugged and nodded while Sokka kept talking. Zuko had to help Sokka with his clothes which set off another set of problems. Zuko could only point at which items went where because otherwise, Zuko was going to faint. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Then Sokka needed help with his hair. The problem he ran away from. Why was it always hair?! </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko ran his fingers through Sokka’s hair to help him. Instead of helping, Zuko broke out in a goofy grin and proceeded to faint.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Zuko...? Are... are you okay?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko could hear Sokka as he was waking back up but stayed where he was. Embarrassment made him stay put.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Toph’s laughter became louder as she stormed into their room. “Did Sparky just faint?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m not sure what happened. He was standing here helping me, then fell down.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe he needs food. If you gave him some meat, he’ll be very happy.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Will you watch him? Maybe I should get Katara too.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Do whatever you want. I’ll take care of Princess.” The door open and closed. “He’s gone. You can get up now.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I hate you.” Zuko sighed, sitting up. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So what was it this time?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sokka asked me to help him. With his clothes. With his hair! I touched his hair and I was out!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You got it bad.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s his hair! Or Water Tribe hair. I don’t know. The Water Tribe cornered me with their hair down and I panicked as well. This is insane!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Is the hair a you thing or a Fire Nation thing?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Both? I don’t know. Maybe Fire Nation. We pride ourselves with our hair. We don’t cut it unless we have been dishonored.” Zuko shrugged. “But then it could be me as well. I have a thing for hair.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You have a thing for Sokka’s hair.” Toph corrected.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko opened his mouth to dispute that then closed it back up. He could dispute without lying and Toph would know he was lying. “I probably do. But if you saw what I saw, you’d feel the same.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’ll take your word for it. So when Sokka comes back, what are you going to say?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nothing. And neither are you!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Maybe he’ll offer you some meat to give you some energy.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Toph!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What? I’m just talking about food.” She smirked. “If you thought of something else, that’s on you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can’t believe this. I can’t have this conversation right now.” Zuko sat with his head in his hands. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Just touch his hair again. You’ll be fine. As long as you don’t faint like a little girl again.” She laughed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m in so much trouble.” Zuko sighed. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">~~~~</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The day of the invasion things were mostly going well. The attack was going in their favor. Until Aang came back and said Ozai wasn’t in the Palace.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There’s bunkers under the volcano. He’s probably in one of them.” Zuko said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I can help find it.” Toph added.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And use your metalbending to open the doors quickly.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Then let’s go!” Sokka said, holding the timing device. “We don’t have much time before the eclipse starts.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Toph, Aang, Sokka and Zuko all ran through the bunkers searching for Ozai. Between Zuko remembering where Ozai might be and Toph able to sense people, it didn’t take long for them to find the room he was in. Aang pushed the door open with a quick air blast and Toph made quick work of the guards knocking them out and burying them halfway in the ground. (Not all the way because that was bad. Just so they couldn’t fight if they woke back up. Are you happy Aang?)</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You think you can beat me Avatar?” Ozai snarled. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Toph, do the thing.” Zuko whispered to Toph as Ozai kept talking. On the other side of Toph stood Sokka. Toph reached up and pulled Sokka’s hair out of his hair tie which cause him to yell out.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Ozai blinked at the four of them. “Zuko, what is this? What is going on?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh...” Zuko shrugged. “Hair...?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?” Sokka hissed. “Zuko what are you doing?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Shut up Sokka!” Zuko hissed back. “Just leave your hair down. And I don’t know, flip it or something.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Flip my hair?! What is wrong with you?!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Enough!” Ozai yelled, breaking their conversation up. “Is this your plan Zuko?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yes.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I see.” Ozai stepped down from his seat and walked towards Sokka. He stood in front of him, walked around him, then stood back in front of him. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“There are more.” Zuko added. Aang gave him a confused expression and Sokka tried to do the same but was unable to with Ozai standing in front of him. Toph was the only one who seemed to know what was going on and smirked. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Right. Okay.” Ozai walked to Zuko. He removed his crown from his head and handed it to Zuko. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it worked.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s the hair, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s the hair.” Ozai nodded.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Toph bent some metal cuffs around Ozai’s wrist. Sokka and Zuko led the way back to their group with Toph and Ozai following and Aang hanging out in the back. Zuko purposely had them walk the way they did so Ozai could constantly see Sokka’s hair. And if Sokka tried to pull it back, Zuko would smack him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why do you keep doing that? What is going on?” Sokka whispered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s your hair.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I know you guys were talking about hair but I don’t understand what you mean by that.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hair is important in the Fire Nation. You look completely different with your hair down. Like a whole new sexy person. I figured if Ozai saw your hair down, it might make him stop. And since all the Water Tribe looks like that with hair down, that would work even more.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait... did you just say I look sexy?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko ignored Sokka and continued walking. As soon as they were above ground, Hakoda and Bato noticed all five of them and raced over, Hakoda’s hair falling out of his tie. Zuko tried to control his heart as he saw Hakoda race over. He heard a deep breath and knew Ozai saw Hakoda.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Kids, I take it you found the Firelord.” Hakoda said, staring at said Firelord.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I’m your prisoner!” Ozai yelled as he held out his hands in front of Hakoda. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh... okay...” Hakoda carefully took Ozai’s wrists, unsure of what was going on. “Then I guess we should go somewhere.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Hakoda and Bato left with Ozai while the rest stood in place. “Huh, that was weird.” Sokka said.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I thought I had to fight Ozai. What happened?” Aang asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Sokka had his hair down.” Zuko shrugged, staring at Sokka. He couldn’t get enough of the hair.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So... I defeated Ozai...?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I guess you could say that.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s awesome!” Sokka had a big grin on his face. “I can’t believe I did it!” He gave Zuko a big kiss. “I defeated Ozai!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Zuko blinked a few times from the kiss before he felt himself fainting. Again. Stupid hair.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>